New York City mayor affirms city's plan to carry out Paris climate agreement commitments

New York has become the latest American city to put into action its commitment to the Paris climate accord after Donald Trump signalled that the US would drop out of the deal. Mayor Bill DeBlasio signed an executive order directing the city to develop a plan to honour the commitments now spurned by the federal government, which includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 with the goal of hopefully keeping global average temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius. “We here in New York City are shocked at the development this week in Washington, D.C., to see the president of the United States pull out of the Paris accord and literally set this nation, and the whole globe, on the path of denial,” Mr DeBlasio said.